Surrounded By Shadows
by ChaseShadows
Summary: There's a new dhampir in town. Really new. She's only just been thrown into an unknown world, a world that's torn in chaos over the late Queen. How will she handle it? o.O  NB: I don't own any of the VA characters


I sighed and went back to picking at the strings of my guitar, my creative juices just weren't flowing and still I had nothing new, I sat back in the couch in my room and ran a hand over my face.

I ignored the knocking at my door and dove into playing Pantera's _'Cemetery Gates'_ and continued to ignore any other noise around me even when I heard the door open and close again, I still didn't look up from the neck of the guitar, I was too lost in the riff's of one of my favourite songs.

When the song ended, I looked up to find I had a small audience, and by small I meant consisting of seven Dhampir's. Yip, that's right seven, they'd upped Dimitri's circle of protection by one after his little performance in the coffee shop, understandable I guess, but I simply stared at Dimitri, whose brown eyes were on the guitar in my lap.

I'd encountered him a few times since my arrival here at the Royal Court, but thankfully due to all the chaos about the queen's death, no one really paid much attention to me and I was hoping it would stay that way.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, I'd expressed open hostility toward him to Lissa's dismay of course, she thought it wouldn't help the situation, but at current, the situation was not my problem seeing as no one actually knew what to do with me, Hans had suggested I stay out of the way, so that's what I did.

He shrugged and seated himself on the opposite couch, a guardian standing at either end of the couch and the rest lined up behind its back. His face was expressionless and his eyes betrayed nothing, so I ignored him and turned my attention back to the guitar as I began playing the intro to _'Starlight'_ by Slash and featuring Myles Kennedy, the song was a favourite because of the riffs Slash used in this song, it was amazing and the riff's moved me, I once again lost myself in it.

"They're nice songs" Dimitri commented.

I shrugged leaning back in the couch again, though I doubted he would have liked the first one if he'd known who the first song was by, placing my feet on the edge of the coffee table and balancing the guitar in my lap. I studied it for a moment, it was a crappy Fender imitation, cherry red and white and I was in need of a new one or at the very least a new set of strings.

I sighed and turned my attention back on Dimitri, his hair hung around his face and he was dressed in a grey V-neck t-shirt, jeans and combat boots, "So, what_ are_ you doing here?" I asked trying to figure out why someone I'd openly shown no interest too would possibly turn up at my room.

"Lissa thought it would be a good idea" he told me, showing his uncertainty about being here.

I sighed with a pinch of anger; "Of course she did" I muttered rolling my eyes. I began to wonder why she herself hadn't come, but then figured she would be too busy with Rose and the impending trial, Dimitri must have guessed what I was thinking.

"She's with Rose" he said, eyes wandering the room.

I eyed him, uh-huh, "And why aren't you?" I questioned, his head didn't quiet jerk in my direction, but his eyes did narrow when his attention turned to me.

"Because I told her to stay away from me" he told me simply, I made an 'o' shape with my mouth and then nodded, remembering Christian filling me on everything when I'd arrived here, including the back story with Rose and Dimitri, it was such a tragic romance that had made my heart ache. Lissa had also explained to me about her turning Dimitri from a Strigoi back to a Dhampir, it was a miracle in and of itself, but from what I'd been told about the way Dimitri had been acting since getting changed back I had been wondering if it had been the best idea and that perhaps he would have been better off dead, but there were a lot of people who had loved and respected him before he was turned and now Lissa was working to restore that as Rose had wanted him to be his old self again, but so far, both seemed to be failing.

I placed the guitar on the ground, leaning the neck against the couch, grabbing a cushion and resting it on my lap, I wasn't sure why, but I almost felt naked without the guitar pressed to my body, I examined Dimitri's guardians, wondering if they'd be able to help me. Making sure my eyes didn't make contact with Dimitri I asked my question, "I don't suppose any of you know if I'm actually allowed to leave?" raising an eyebrow.

Dimitri looked up at them, seeing if they'd reply I guessed and a few of them looked at each other then shrugged. I rolled my eyes and figured that was probably the best answer I was going to get out of them, so I turned my attention back on Dimitri, "I don't suppose the Princess gave a specific reason as to _why_ she thought this was a good idea?" I asked.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, possibly recalling what she'd said and finally he replied with: "She said you could help"

I slumped further into the couch, mulling it over. I'd learnt a lot of this secret world in the week I had been here, the Moroi – mortal vampires possessed elemental magic and Lissa's was spirit, a rare and forgotten magic, but powerful and demanding, I'd also been told that because of that magic, it was easy for her to judge a person's character and later, Adrian, Rose's boyfriend, another spirit user, had told me what it was they could see in my aura and it was somewhat confusing, my aura still showed the color of my moods, but my soul was apparently streaked with black, not like Rose's being shadow-kissed, but something darker and much more dangerous, yeah, comforting, I know.

But apparently in spite of the impending darkness I quite possibly faced, I was still a good natured person and had the ability to help, although Christian had noted it would probably be in very, blunt, bitter and sarcastic ways, oh yeah, I was a real comedian.

"Do you believe her?" I asked, looking straight at him, but he avoided my gaze, I suppose that was fair enough, I got the feeling the expression on my face wasn't very friendly. Don't get me wrong, I had nothing against Dimitri, I had just been in a bad mood since arriving and he kept getting me at bad times, along with the million other things I had to take in about who I apparently am and where I should have been for the last eighteen years – and as I had told them time and time again, that wasn't my fault and now my life was turned around and apparently I wasn't allowed to tell them anything, instead I would just end up being extremely wound up and taking it out on someone who didn't deserve it, I guess I would have to apologise to Dimitri at some stage.

Finally, he met my gaze, "Yes" and I could tell in that moment that he trusted her, he was putting an awful lot of faith in her for bringing him back, but I also thought that he failed to realize why she did, or at least the main reason she'd done it, aside from her own curiosity, she had done it for Rose, because Rose had asked her to bring back her lover and in some ways, it had kind of back fired on Rose's part, but it was the least of her worries right now, sitting in a jail cell for a murder she didn't commit would be enough to change anyone's priorities.

I let out a breath and shifted, running through everything both Lissa and Rose had told me about the way Dimitri had been, he'd believed he'd done terrible things as a Strigoi, especially to Rose and all the lives he'd taken, he believed that even if God could forgive him, he could never forgive himself and that there was no salvation for him.

I wasn't an overly religious person myself, but as a philosopher, I knew enough that I could possibly pull on that to help my case, I sighed mentally, _okay Lissa, here goes, let's see if I can do some damage control_, "You know" I began, that got his attention, and he was curious, "the one thing damnation and salvation have in common is that you have to die to get either one" I said, repressing the smirk fighting to burst onto my features.

His face hardened, "So?" I also knew that he didn't like having these conversations, but my guess was that Lissa had insisted; otherwise he wouldn't have been sitting across from me.

"Well theoretically you've died twice" I said, "You're body died when you were turned and your soul left to linger between worlds" I was going off what Robert had told Lissa and Rose and it seemed logical enough, "Thus damning you, hence damnation, and then Lissa pulled your soul back into your physical body bringing you back to your original state, salvation" I said, feeling like I was giving a lecture.

His eyes narrowed in confusion as they tried to figure out my cryptic statement, I sighed and figured I'd probably have to explain, "Please explain" I wasn't surprised to hear that, in fact, I chuckled a little, and made myself comfy in the corner of the couch, my left ankle tucked under my leg, still leaning against the coffee table and the cushion resting on my stomach.

"You were damned by being turned, and given salvation by your soul being able to return to its body" I told him, he didn't look convinced and I knew this wasn't going to be easy, especially when even Lissa had a hard time and I didn't have charisma like that.

"I fail to see how that is salvation" he muttered.

I sighed, it wasn't one of the impatient ones I normally got when trying to convince someone stubborn, it was more one aimed at this inability to see the logic in my words. "Well aside from a miracle, what else would you call it?" I asked, wondering if he had a better suggestion.

"A second chance" he said, and he truly believed that.

That, along with him continually telling Rose about his inability to ever love again, I truly believed in the next words that I spoke, "You are a fool" my voice held no emotion, but bitterness hung in the air between us, "You do realize that if you continue on in this state of mind you're going to spend the rest of your life repenting and it's never going to be enough"

"Because it won't ever be" his voice raised only so slightly, but not in anger.

I growled slightly, standing up and walking off into the kitchen, "It's pathetic" I half snapped, but the venom strong in my voice.

I stood over the sink staring at the class of water thinking over what his future would be like if he didn't break free of his current state of mind, despite his good intentions to repent, his thinking pattern was self-destructive and he was going to waste the rest of his life and more importantly his potential.

When I returned to the living room and took up my previous position on the couch, he remained silent and I wondered if my words had any affect at all on him.

"Maybe... maybe it was meant to happen" he said finally.

I snorted, "Oh please, everything happens for a reason Dimitri, don't be so naive I know you're not that stupid, you're just shutting yourself off because of what you've been through"

"And you wouldn't after experiencing that?" his eyes were raging and this time his voice had risen with anger.

"And cut myself off from those who love and wanted to help? Wake up Belikov! You're only hindering any chance of building yourself a better future. You can coil back into your shell, I understand that you and everyone else needs time to adjust and you need time to mentally heal, but staying this way forever is not only going to damage you personally but also those who care about you, and it's _not_ healthy" I told him sternly.

"You sound just like Rose" his voice was small, and he was refusing to make eye contact with me, I'd have to work on that.

"And I don't suppose you ever stopped to considered that maybe, just _maybe_ she was right?" I asked, studying him, realizing the answer without him having to tell me, "Of course you didn't" I gave out an angry sigh and ran my hand over my face, this was infuriating, I could see why he and Rose had argued a lot, but seeing as I had a completely different relationship to him, he didn't know me as he did her and I was harder to get a grip of. The comment about sounding like Rose had surprised me, but in the end it made sense, she was the only other person not afraid to raise her voice to him – or anyone else for that matter.

I studied him some more, he truly believed that the way he was acting was the way he _should_ be acting and I believed that we'd made absolutely no progress.

My voice was calmer now, "You aren't _damned_ anymore Dimitri" I said, his eyes meet mine, surprised by my words, "No one's hunting you, you're not going to kill anyone, yes people are afraid of you, but since when have people ever _not_ been afraid of something they don't understand? Think about it" I told him, "I've heard a lot about your life at the Academy and you're not an idiot" although I was beginning to think he was.

"What is that even suppose to mean?" both of our heads jerked in the direction of one of the guardians, he looked apologetic.

"Every action has a reaction" I replied keeping my gaze on him for a short while then returning it to Dimitri, "You as a guardian should know that"

I could see the wheels turning in Dimitri's head, he knew I was right, but he was going to go on deluding himself as long as possible.

I suddenly chuckled to myself, remembering the definitions of damnation and salvation, "What's so funny?" Dimitri asked.

I laughed a little more and when I was sure I wasn't going to burst out laughing I shared my in sight, but apparently nobody else found it funny.

After I'd calmed down from laughing silence had fallen and it was a little awkward, but finally, it was broken by a sigh from Dimitri, "Scarlett, I honestly don't think you could ever understand" he was calm and collected.

I studied him, I found myself doing that a lot and not just with him, with a lot of people, especially here, "No" I replied, "You're right, I could never possibly understand, but neither can anyone else and no one ever will"

His head jerked in my direction and he looked almost hurt, "If I meet someone else who'd been brought back..."

I shook my head, "It wouldn't matter, it wouldn't be the same" I told him, "Every experience is unique to the one who experiences, yes we can have similar experiences, even experiences that are freakishly similar, but it doesn't matter, because everybody is different so no matter how close the experience is in similarity with another, to each individual person it'll be different and it'll mean something different" my voice was steady and calm, I was sure it was the nicest I had ever been to him.

Not much else was said after that, but I could tell he was going to be thinking over this conversation for a while, or at least the last couple of things I'd said. I also promised myself I'd try to be nicer to him.

While leaning against the doorframe about to say my goodbyes I remembered something I'd thought about earlier, "Hey, Dimitri" I said as he began to turn away.

"Yes?" he replied, I could tell he was coiling back into his shell, that was going to mess things up if he did that every time he left an environment he was comfortable in and possibly destroy any progress made, but I guessed it was only acceptable after what he'd been through and the way he was acting.

"I..." I wasn't very good at this sort of thing, "I wanted to apologise for the way I've treated you our last few meetings"

His eyes narrowed with a slight confusion, "Oh?"

I nodded, "Yeah... I hadn't been in very good moods, but that still wasn't any excuse to take it out on you... so..."

He smiled, but only slightly, "It's okay" he said and left with his pack of guardians.

After closing the door, I returned to the couch, relieved he didn't actually wait for me to say that I was sorry, I hated saying those words, even when I meant them, they were still hard, seeing as some of my own experiences made it hard for me to believe, even when I spoke them and even if I knew I meant them, they still sounded like a pack of lies.

I was thankful for having all of my technology with me, so I picked up the remote turning the stereo on, which was still plugged into my laptop and started blasting _'Gallows'_ by Atreyu, it was a strange song, but comforting in a weird way, following that song was_ 'Bittersweet Memories'_ by Bullet for my Valentine, this song brought back memories but I found myself drifting off to sleep nonetheless...

_I was back home in New Zealand, the place I grew up in, yet found out later that day I wasn't actually born in. I was lying on my bed in my flat in Wellington my nose stuck in one of my philosophy text books, we didn't need to read the entire book for the assignment, but me being me, I was lost in philosophy and couldn't put the book down._

_I was on to my second year of studies at Victoria University and this book was based around conspiracy theories, which naturally had me completely consumed by the book, so much so that I barely heard the knock at my door until it sounded through the empty house a second (and much louder) time. My flat mate was in classes and I was useless when it came to paying attention to someone at the door or answering the phone._

_I sighed and placed the bookmark in the page, trying not to kick any furniture on my way to the door._

_I opened it to find three men dressed in black slacks, white shirts and black blazers, they stood in a triangle and the two at the back had sunglasses on, one with fiery red hair and pale skin, the other was blonde and slightly more tanned._

_The third stood before me and looked much older and more experienced than the two behind him._

"_Are you Scarlett Adams?" he asked._

_I nodded, "Yes..." I replied warily._

"_My name is Hans Croft" he told me, the other two stayed quiet and he made no point to introduce them._

"_Okay..." I said, "What can I do for you gentlemen today?" I asked, trying to sound as helpful as possible._

"_May we come in?" he asked._

_I shrugged, "Uh... sure" I stood aside and closed the door behind them, and they followed me into the lounge, "Take a seat" I said flopping back into the chair I usually study in._

_Hans seated himself on the couch, the other two standing behind him, looking more like bodyguards... only he was dressed the same as them._

"_You're father was Chris Adams?" he asked me, and I nodded in reply, not really wanting to remember my late father, "Did you know that he was a Dhampir?"_

"_A what...?" I took a moment to think, but not long enough for him to speak, "No" I told him, "What's this all about?"_

"_Guardian numbers are dropping rapidly, and back before his retirement, Chris had been one of the best we had..." this guy was nuts! And what the hell was he talking about?_

"_Look, dude, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but my dad is dead and he wasn't there for most of my life, I was left to be raised by my mother" I told him, hoping that would clear the air, the look on his face told me it made his job much easier._

"_Rachael Ozera?" he said, "This should make things quick then..."_

"_Hang on a sec, who?" I asked I was in a state of complete confusion; this guy was seriously nuts and should be thrown in a loony bin for all the crap he was talking. _

"_Rachael Ozera?" he repeated._

"_Who the hell is that?" I asked, my confusion reaching frustration levels in a matter of seconds._

"_Your mother..." he trailed off._

"_No..." I said my voice wary, "My mother was Diane Chambers" I corrected him, my parents hadn't been married, but I was certain that even when Chris hadn't been around, my mother still loved him._

"_Oh dear..." Hans said, "This is going to take longer than expected" he sighed, "Pack any belongings you wish to bring with you" he told me and ordered the other two to give me a hand while he pulled out a cell phone and made a call._

_I knew these people meant business, so I got too it. Packing as many items of clothing as I could, my laptop, boxing up my stereo, shoving my phone in my pocket and handing my guitar and amp over, I got the impression it would be a while before I would be back and would have to ring someone about putting my stuff in storage... not that I knew where I was going anyway._

_By the time I was packed and ready, Hans was off the phone and we were out the door, to where a black SUV waited in the drive way and they piled my things into the boot._

_The drive to the airport was silent and we, along with my stuff were loaded onto a private plane._

_Hans sat a few sets over from me, the other two doing their own thing, "So" I said looking him up and down, "Are you going to tell me where you're taking me?"_

_He was looking through a pile of paper work, "Philadelphia" he replied without looking at me. I repressed a groan and sank into the chair, I was pretty sure this was going to be at least a fifteen hour flight – I was not looking forward to that._

_I tried as hard as I could to get some sleep on the plane seeing as I knew I was going to end up with jet lag – which I hated. And as usual, I failed to get any sleep what so ever._

_An elbow digging into my ribs woke me up as the plane was landing; I jolted awake to find the red haired guardian still with sunglasses on._

"_Hurry it up Adam's" Hans snapped at me, "We don't have all day" I groaned, but pulled myself out of the set anyway, happy to be standing and not sitting uncomfortably._

_I stared in awe as I stepped off the plane. At some point during the flight I'd been told that this was the Moroi government, it reminded me of an army base back home in the sense that it was like a small town, but this place had much more elegance and it was a hell of a lot bigger._

"_Come along" Hans ordered. I hadn't been trained to follow orders like the others, I considered making that point to Hans, but figured it wouldn't get me anywhere, especially when ginger nudged me to move forward. I grunted but walked on._

_I was lead into a building, looking something like a hotel._

"_This is for Moroi who come here to tend to business, but don't live here permanently" Han's explained as though he'd read my mind. I made an 'o' shape with my mouth._

_I dropped my stuff in the room and was handed a key then taken off to some other building. I needed to remember to ask someone for a map._

_Hans and I entered an office, to which he closed the door and gestured for me to sit down. I did so, as he occupied the seat on the other side of the desk, one guess whose office this was._

"_So" he started, "Do you know why you're here?" he asked._

_I shrugged, "nope, but you're delusional" I told him. He couldn't seriously expect me to believe that vampires existed, let alone two different races of them, plus their half breed hybrids._

_He sighed with slight frustration, "What will it take for it to sink in?" he asked. On the flight over he'd continually disturbed my sleep attempts in attempt to try and explain a part of the world I never would have though existed and that I was apparently apart of._

"_Um, some proof would be nice" I said it sarcastically but I was completely serious._

_He grunted and mumbled something I didn't catch, I imagined I was frustrating him to great lengths; I had the tendency to do that to a lot of people._

"_I'm sorry, but you can't just drag me from my home, half way around the world, to another country, sit me down and tell me two races of vampires exist and their half breed hybrids and expect me to believe it, seriously?" I was almost shouting._

_He pinched the bridge of his nose, "You _are_ a half breed hybrid" he snapped._

"_Okay, so far you've: put me through a ridiculous flight, given me absolutely _no_ evidence whatsoever that at least _one_ of these vampire races exist and_ no_ proof of what I apparently am! And _you're _the one getting frustrated? Honestly mate, you're really bad at this" I was pretty sure I had a solid argument._

_A moment later an elderly lady was escorted into the room, she looked like she'd had enough drugs to last her two lifetimes, her neck was covered in bite marks and then she left, "See?" Hans said in a mocking tone._

"_So?" I shrugged, "That doesn't prove anything – they're just a few holes in a women's neck" yeah, I'm hard to please._

_He sighed again, "Then you'll need to visit the feeder's room – that's what she is by the way, a feeder"_

_I gave a thumbs up and the word 'cool' sarcastically ran through my mind._

"_As for the part about us... well that's slightly harder, you're going to just have to go with me on that one" he said._

_I shook my head, "Sorry, it doesn't work like that, I need physical evidence" I told him._

"_There isn't a DNA test that can prove it!" he snapped, man this guy had some mood swings... or maybe that was just me._

"_Then find something else" I shrugged, "I mean aren't you guys suppose too you know, have like, good reflexes and stuff right?" I asked._

"_Yes, but what's that got to do with anything?" he asked, a little confused._

"_Then let me see some in action, that _might_ be enough to convince me" so far it was the only suggestion we had, even though he didn't look impressed._

"_Fine" he finally agreed, "But once you're convince it's straight to an academy with you"_

"_Whoa, hang on a sec, I'm eighteen and already a university student, you're not going to shove me back in high school" I complained._

"_You're untrained" he pressed._

"_So?" I argued, "Who ever said I wanted this job anyway – and you can't force it on me"_

"_Well it_ will_ be force on you, you're needed" he told me. _

_I growled slightly and left, slamming the door behind me, so far I wasn't impressed, way to make a good impression huh?_

_I had no idea where I was going, but stormed angrily around the grounds anyway, it didn't really matter to me where I was going, just so long as it wasn't any near him, then I really didn't care._

_After a while of storming around like a pissed off little child, I claimed down (slightly) and found a bench that looked semi okay to lie down on._

_I relaxed into the hard stone, this was going to hurt my back in the long run, but for the time being it was just what I needed – all I wanted was some peace and quiet, too bad that wasn't going to happen._

"_Oh sorry" a lightly accented voice said._

_I opened one eye and peered out, seeing a man looking somewhat like a prisoner, despite his shoulder length hair, that was probably brown or black, it was hard to tell in the dark, so that was really all I could make out, other than he was tall, like, really tall. The prisoner reference came from the eight figures dressed in black and white that surrounded him in a semi circle. I didn't ask any questions and didn't plan on being here long enough to care._

"_I'll go if you like" he said, I couldn't place the accent and it was going to bug me._

_By now I'd opened both eyes and sat up, "No, it's fine, so long as you point me in the direction of the guest housing" I said._

_The eight figures looked at each other, then at the man in front of me, I raised my eyebrows, apparently none of them were going to be helpful._

"_Dimitri Belikov" the guy in front of me said his hand out stretched to me._

"_Scarlett Adams" I replied shaking his hand, I may have been in a foul mood but I still had the decency to dust off my manners (when it suited me). I noticed the hint of a smile playing that the stranger's lips, he seemed like the kind of person that had knowledge of someone much older and wiser, but this guy could only be in his twenties, right?_

_The following day I was sitting in Hans's office wanting to bang my head against a brick wall; this man was driving me insane._

"_Scarlett this is_ who_ you are!" he yelled at me._

"_Um, the last I checked I was eighteen, under no obligation to this... place" I told him, keeping my voice in monotone and my face blank, apparently that was something I had down better than any most guardians in the industry._

_I shifted and let out a sigh, watching as Hans compiled his thoughts. He studied me, I was wearing jeans and Chuck Taylors with a band t-shirt which showed off my two full arm sleeves "You'll need those removed" he said finally, nodding his head toward my arms._

"_What? My tattoos?" I asked, my voice finally betraying me and he nodded, "Like hell I am!"_

_He started on another one of his now infamous lectures, but I was now storming out and slamming the door in the process, ugh, I was considering all the possible things I could do to get them off my back about going back to school or whatever it was they wanted me to do._

_I stormed around the grounds for a little while longer then decided it was probably time for me to calm down, I made my way back to the bench I'd been lying on the previous night, checked the grass, deciding it was dry enough to sit on and leant against one of the bench legs._

_My hands were in my head and I really wanted a cigarette or a drink, or something._

_I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there, but the sound of somebody clearing their throat disturbed my train of thought. Looking up, I was staring up at a tall dhampir; it was the guy from last night._

"_Can I help you?" I asked my tone slightly more bitchy than it really needed too be and giving him a sarcastic stare. He simply shrugged, "Well then go away" I growled._

"_I heard Hans wanted to see you" he said._

_I laughed, really wishing I had a cigarette, "Oh yeah, he wanted to see me alright" I shook my head and continued to chuckle to myself._

"_So?" he asked._

"_So what?" I said, my snarkiness returning, it was almost too bad that I wasn't drunk, I could pass it off for that, but nope, this was just simple Scarlett Adams attitude. _

"_What did he want?" he asked, he seemed like one of those dhampir's that had the hiding emotions and facial expressions down as well._

"_He wants me to go to an academy and going through the last four years of high school so I can train up as a guardian" I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes._

_He looked confused slightly, "Aren't you eighteen?" he questioned._

"_I am" I replied, "And if I went back to school, I wouldn't be finished until I was twenty-two"_

"_I'll train you" he said, the confusion vanishing from his features._

"_What?" I said, wondering if I'd heard him correctly._

"_I'll train you" he repeated, okay so I had heard him, "I caught Rose up" he told me. I'd heard about her, hadn't met her yet, but her boyfriend and best friend were very friendly and had made themselves known to me._

"_Yes but as far as I know, she was born into this life, I wasn't, I'm at a disadvantage" I told him, and I really, _really_ didn't want this life._

_He shrugged, "It may get them off your back about training"_

_I growled, "Apparently nobody has considered that just _maybe_ I don't _want_ this life?" I said._

_He sighed, "Just do the training, at the very least, it'll mean they won't harass you as much" he told me, I rolled my eyes at the 'as much' statement._

"_You know he told me I'd have to get my tattoos removed?" I asked him. _

_He shook his head, "Understandable though" he said, I simply glared at him, "They're a bit conspicuous" _

"_Do you have _any_ idea how much that hurts?" I exclaimed, he shook his head in reply, "It hurts a thousand times more than getting a tattoo and costs a lot more too" I knew he'd know what it was like getting tattoo's, from what I'd been told he had seven, nothing on me and of course for a completely different reason._

And after that night I'd had daily training sessions with Dimitri, and of course his posse of guardians where there, sometimes offering pointers, which Dimitri took, but some I could tell annoyed him.

After one session when I was heading back to my room, a Moroi messenger had been looking for me, apparently Rose had wanted to see me, I had rolled my eyes and sighed, but followed the little vampire to the cells anyway.

Stepping in front of her cell, she was apparently allowed me speak with me alone, I leant against the opposite wall, folding my arms across my chest and wishing I could go and shower.

Rose sat on the little bed huddled in the corner, she looked like she was going to go crazy if she stayed there much longer, from what I'd been told about this girl, she was a force to be reckoned with and keeping her cooped up in this place, was bad for her.

I tried putting myself in her place and figured I'd be going insane by now, my claustrophobia just wouldn't allow me to handle it like she is.

I said nothing. She was the one that had called me here, so I wasn't going to be the one to make the first move.

Apparently this was turning into a game of 'who would crack first', I had the feeling I would, despite my impatience, I was holding my own pretty well, but studying Rose, I could tell it was really starting to annoy.

As well as mentoring me like he had her, Dimitri was trying to fit in all the guardian technique classes as well. I was beginning to think that maybe it would have been easier for me to go to an Academy, but then I got the impression I would have no one to mentor me and would have to spend more time there than I really wanted too.

After what felt like hours, Rose finally cracked.

"Here" she threw me a piece of crumbled up paper through the bars and looked like she was sulking.

I picked it up off the ground, "What's this?" I asked, more to myself than her. But that didn't stop her from answering me.

"A note" was all she said.

I skim read it a couple of times taking in the information, "From the late Queen" I commented to nothing in particular.

"Her boy toy delivered it after my hearing" she made is sound as though it was disgusting, but then again, this was her world, not mine, she knew more of it than I did and probably ever would.

I through it back thinking over what everyone had told me. The alchemist had been most helpful. She'd told me a lot about Rose's father, Abe, a Moroi and what she called a Zemy, all of which had been explained to me in the space of about three days. Yeah, makes your head want to explode doesn't it?

"You should show Abe" I said finally, leaning against the stone cold wall behind me, peering through the bars at her. She reminded me of a caged animal, and although I didn't know her, or really anything or anyone around here, her friends had been adamant that she as innocent and after everything they'd done for me, the least I could do was try and help where I could.

"And what's he going to do?" She scoffed, "I'm still in here aren't I? He _told_ me I wasn't going to trial, yet here I am!"

I simply shrugged; I'd never met the guy so I had no idea what was going on with that.

"But seriously, what would he do about it?" she half snapped.

"Oh I don't know, find this long lost heir" I replied sarcastically. The look she shot me told me my sarcasm wasn't welcome. Too bad.

"He wouldn't know where to start anyway" she sounded as if she doubted him, from what I'd been told, I wouldn't have been doubting him.

"Neither do you" I reminded her as I slid down the wall to a sitting position, resting my arms on my knees, and even if she did, it was no use keeping it to herself when she probably wasn't going anywhere any time soon. I sighed, deciding to try and reason with her, "Look, Abe has resources and connections"

"I'm resourceful!" she shot back. Okay, reasoning shall be labelled a fail for future reference.

"Not from what I've heard" I muttered, I was sure she hadn't heard me, as the next time I looked at her, she look lost in deep thought.

"You don't understand" she told me, "I _need_ to do this. For Lissa" I had been informed of her situation, but I'd never felt what Rose was trying to convey to me now. But from what I could gather of the Moroi world's current predicament, Lissa was going to indeed need this.

"I do understand Rose, but there isn't anything that can be done right now" was all I could say, not even sure if my words were true or not.

"You've been to college, studied something like history right?" she asked, doing her best to look me in the eye. _Had_? Just how old did she think I was?

I sighed, "I'm not a law student, I'm a philosophy major" I said correcting her and making my decision, "But I'll do all I can"

"Why couldn't you have done law, it would have been more useful" she murmured, I tried not to chuckle at her, not sure how well it worked out though.

"It wouldn't have mattered" I informed her, she looked at me as to explain, "I'm not from this country, I wasn't studying here"

The look she gave me conveyed understanding, though I thought more so toward my accent, I was just glad she hadn't asked where I was from, she probably wouldn't of had a clue.

"Well you're helpful aren't you?" she informed me.

I sighed once again, "I still think you should tell the Zemy" Rose shot me a look of confusion, "I've met the alchemist" I told her, "What's her name?" it has slipped my mind.

"Sydney?" Rose offered.

"Yeah, her" was all I gave in reply.

After that, there was nothing much left to say. So I got up and headed back to my room. Not really sure what the point in Rose calling me in there for, I was sure there wasn't anything I could do, or what her friends were planning and even if I did know, I was certain they wouldn't really include me.


End file.
